Photos: Let's take a look at Short's Brewing's Bellaire Beer Garden

It’s been a few months since Short’s Brewing Co. (located in Bellaire, Michigan) debuted its brand new Bellaire Beer Garden for its 19th Anniversary Celebration in April, and like founder and owner Joe Short says, “If you build it, they will come.” Since Short’s opened its doors in 2004, music has been integral to its mission.

“Music has always been an inspiration for me, and a part of the Short’s experience since day one,” stated Joe Short, “when we were thinking about how to really Short’s-ify the experience in Bellaire, we looked at our empty lot across the street and it just made sense.”

“During the pandemic we got really creative with the lot across the street from the Pub — we built a Kegger Campground with over 900 kegs to bring folks downtown one winter. We added the containers and built a massive roof so we could bring more events downtown and provide protection from the elements. These early experiments showed us that the concept could work and that the community could beneﬁt from an outdoor space with music, food, and drinks. And as we started prepping for the summer at the Pub, moving music outside just made sense so we decided to go for it.”

The Beer Garden build out started 13 days before Short’s 19th Anniversary Celebration and was completed by local contractor Do It All Maintenance. The space was approved for occupancy less than 24 hours before the party.

“It was a photo ﬁnish, but it was a great way to introduce people to our new space,” stated Short. “And we’re just getting started, we’ve got big plans to continue to awesomize our Beer Garden as more resources become available.”

Now that temps have warmed up, the Bellaire Beer Garden is open seven days a week and is home to Oaxacan fare from Osorios Tacos y Salsa. On the weekends, you’ll ﬁnd live music from talent across the state and fresh, hot. buttery popcorn, the perfect pairing for the best craft beverages in northern Michigan.